Sunday, December 03, 2006
GROUP HOME'S OWNER PLAYS MEDIA
There has been plenty of coverage about the group home fire in Anderson, where 10 people, including nine guests of the home, died in an early morning fire Monday. It's a twisted story which has garnered attention from both Auditor Claire McCaskill and Gov. Matt Blunt, who have both made statements.
Since the beginning, group home owner Robert J. Dupont, a convicted felon, has had a chance to talk to the media and address issues surrounding the fire, as well as some questionable things in his past. He wouldn't talk...a Joplin Globe reporter had to go to his house requesting comment, because Dupont wouldn't return calls. And he still wouldn't talk.
But he did to Sarah Overstreet of the News-Leader.
The only reason he would talk to a columnist known for warm, fuzzy stories and sticking up for the little guy is because he's afraid of his past. By going to Overstreet, he's hoping for an ally; that the bad ol' media won't ask tough questions about why he was operating a home that he shouldn't have been operating. Unfortunately, this doesn't help him look any better.
The Mailbox thinks that open is always better than closed. Had Dupont faced the music, been brave and talked to reporters earlier, then his role could be clearly established and he wouldn't look like he has something to hide. Now, he just looks cowardly. His attempt to use the media will backfire.
There has been plenty of coverage about the group home fire in Anderson, where 10 people, including nine guests of the home, died in an early morning fire Monday. It's a twisted story which has garnered attention from both Auditor Claire McCaskill and Gov. Matt Blunt, who have both made statements.
Since the beginning, group home owner Robert J. Dupont, a convicted felon, has had a chance to talk to the media and address issues surrounding the fire, as well as some questionable things in his past. He wouldn't talk...a Joplin Globe reporter had to go to his house requesting comment, because Dupont wouldn't return calls. And he still wouldn't talk.
But he did to Sarah Overstreet of the News-Leader.
The only reason he would talk to a columnist known for warm, fuzzy stories and sticking up for the little guy is because he's afraid of his past. By going to Overstreet, he's hoping for an ally; that the bad ol' media won't ask tough questions about why he was operating a home that he shouldn't have been operating. Unfortunately, this doesn't help him look any better.
The Mailbox thinks that open is always better than closed. Had Dupont faced the music, been brave and talked to reporters earlier, then his role could be clearly established and he wouldn't look like he has something to hide. Now, he just looks cowardly. His attempt to use the media will backfire.
// posted by MoJoe @ 03:39 
Comments:
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I don't understand why people hide things...most of the time, it's public record...people act like the media digs up all this "dirt" on people, but any citizen could do the same...
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